Rinse and drain the raw beans; discard any stones, broken or shriveled up beans. Pour the beans into your crock-pot and add enough water to cover all the beans plus an additional 2 inches.
Put the lid on your crock-pot; do not turn on. Let the beans soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
In the morning, rinse and drain the beans. (The water will be bean-colored.) Put the beans back into your crock-pot and cover with enough fresh water to completely cover the beans with an extra 2-3 inches. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The beans are done when they are bite-tender. Don't worry if the water hasn't all been absorbed, it's going to get dumped anyway.
Drain the beans. When cool, put 1-2/3 cups of beans into storage containers or freezer bags - this is roughly the equivalent of 1 can of beans that have been rinsed and drained. Store in the refrigerator for 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months. Use as you would canned beans in any recipe.
Crockpot
2009